Criminal Justice Reform

The Problem

​The criminal justice system in America is broken. The United States has the highest incarceration rate in the world—although the U.S. only accounts for 4.4 percent of the world's population, it is responsible for 22 percent of the Earth's prisoners. As much as one fifth of these prisoners are incarcerated for non-violent drug offenses. Furthermore, although there are five times more white people than black people in the United States, black people account for the highest percentage of the incarcerated population. As much as three quarters of inmates released from State prisons will reoffend and return to prison within five years. The United States also incarcerates the largest juvenile population in the world, and even tries juveniles as adults in some circumstances.